Emily Chen
Year 3 student
BA(Hons) in Linguistics and Translation
Reaching out
As a timid person, staying in my comfort zone is the most comfortable thing to do. After a whole 16-hour flight, I made a small but significant decision to embrace something different, as I was walking into a completely different place, different time zone, and a different experience.

I have learned one thing - it takes courage and practice to reach out your hand. But as soon as you’ve reached it out, there will be someone or some opportunities grabbing you in return. And you shouldn’t let go.

I still remember vividly how nervous I was trying to find an accommodation in Ireland. It was before the flight, I was online and binge eating at the same time, searching on Google maps for some strange-looking street names, checking whether it would be too far away from the university, or whether district 8 would be safe enough for an Asian girl. And the next second I was in my room which I have searched for myself, with three little dogs licking my feet while I was writing to my mom about how fascinating time flies, and how the day's hardship was worth it.

I managed to find myself a very nice house, a very nice host with three cute little dogs. Although it’s a bit far from the city centre and university, I think it was worth it as I could live in a place away from the busy streets, enjoy the green baths, nearby beaches, and maybe have a glimpse of the famous pianist who lives next door. I remember the excitement of going home after a long day from school, with a sky full of stars and my host’s (and the dogs’) warmest welcome.


“Trinity College Dublin is where our bread and butter comes from… It is our best university in Ireland.” I joined a day tour on the second day I arrived, and the tour guide said that with pride. I couldn't help but smile too, when I learned how good the school is. The school is located in the city centre, but as you pass through the front gate, the outside noises will disappear. That’s not the only magic - when you stroll down to another building, you can see cherry blossoms dancing in circles.

I was not brave enough to join societies in PolyU, but I was not afraid to try different things there - I was there to challenge myself. I joined the Archery club, the Space Society, Trinity FM, and Elementary Irish class. I definitely enjoyed archery, where I made some good friends. We chatted and teased each other about our shots, went for movies before the practice, and watched each other improve… at the end it was more than the three consecutive arrows in the middle of the target - it was the fun and bond we had.

One of the best things I did was to join an international friend group. There were Germans, Italians, Americans, Australians, Malaysians…And we were all there for exchange, and for a pint of Guinness. We often go out together and explore the story of Ireland. We exchanged our ideas of Irish culture, compared to our own. That reminded me how narrow-minded one can be, when you've been living in the same place, doing the same thing, meeting the same people.

In Ireland, I went to see the magnificent cliffs and majestic sea waves. I saw the difference between Northern and Southern Ireland. I saw the bond between the Irish and Americans. I saw the history of the 1845 famine through potato dishes. I saw spring. I did crazy stuff like going to the cliffs alone to search for seals; jumped into the ocean when it was 6°C; went on a trip with no plans and no cash…Those are now unforgettable memories, which I sought out for myself.

Taking in
To be honest, before the trip, I could not imagine or expect anything. I was like a brand new notebook, scared yet excited to write something in. Now it is filled with a sense of accomplishment, because I took care of myself nonetheless the crazy encounters and obstacles. I lived through one semester in an unfamiliar country alone.

It was not easy and smooth. Although I was able to connect with my family and friends in Hong Kong thanks to Facetime and Whatsapp, after 4pm (UTC+0), I felt very lonely and vulnerable. Meanwhile, I had to plan my schedule, had to make the most of every day; had to take care of my mental and physical health; I had to do grocery shopping and prepare meals so I could save money; I had to manage my time so I would have time to study besides exploring Ireland.

I told myself that going to a completely different country on my own is already an accomplishment. I don't have to make everything perfect and be so harsh on myself. After that, I started to learn to walk slower, enjoy the greenery, and look at people with a smile on my face (and they will smile back!). I told myself it is okay to spend some money on food that I like. When I had another bad day, I took the dogs out and ran with them, and it seemed like the unhappiness couldn’t catch up with us.

There were some unforgettable moments. Nothing particular happened in those moments, I simply ‘lived’ - the scent of grass after rain made me happy; the sunset and the music in my head made me happy; the yogurt bowl from Pret made me happy; the way the birds chirped with the sound of the river made me happy; the smell of freshly baked bread that came along with the scent of coffee made me happy; watching the sunrise dying the sheeps from white to yellow made me happy; runny down the green hill to catch my bus made me happy… Those were moments when I was alone yet truly happy.

The Exchange and Take-away
For the last few days in Ireland, I wondered what souvenirs I should buy and bring back to Hong Kong for my friends and family. Now I figured the best gift I could give is the sharing of my unique experience - to tell people what I saw, what I encountered and what I learned.

I had a deep understanding of the meaning of ‘exchange’ through living in a host family - I brought Chinese tea and taught my host the Chinese way of making tea. I also made her the ultimate "scrambled eggs with tomatoes" (番茄炒蛋), and tangyuan during the Lantern Festival, while telling her the meaning behind our traditions. Meanwhile, she told me stories of her family, and brought me to trips where I learned frightening stories about Northern Ireland from the elderly; she told me how great (and unfair) the welfare system in Ireland is; she taught me how infrastructure works in European countries.

Through my international friends' perspective, I was able to see the world, and come back with a different vision. I now look at Hong Kong from another perspective - or even from a tourist's one. As a guest in Ireland, I felt like I have learned the place better than the locals. So from this new perspective, I hope I will be able to look at Hong Kong non-judgmentally, interestingly, and discover things that I was not able to see.

After returning to Hong Kong, I can feel that I am now more open and confident. I now raise and answer questions in class. I am not afraid to make new friends, and decided to give joining societies a chance.

I also think my English comprehension skills have improved. After 5 months of living in Irish and listening to different international accents, I am able to understand others and express myself comfortably.

The day before my flight back, I went on a last trip with my friends. On the train we shared our insights on this exchange journey. We found out there were people who did not enjoy the exchange at all. And what they have in common is that they don't look for opportunities to go out and learn. They rather go to pubs and sleep through the day. So this is our summary: How you look at things, and whether you have set the mind to seek for opportunities shapes your experience and personal growth.

I am very thankful towards the donor Sin Wai Kin, for allowing me to explore and enjoy the experience which can never be replaced. I will share my journey with my classmates and professors from Hong Kong, let them see the other side of the world too.